mishap

noun

mis·​hap ˈmis-ˌhap 

mis-ˈhap

1

: an unfortunate accident

The fire was a tragic mishap that could have been prevented.

2

: bad luck : misfortune

The ceremony proceeded without mishap.

Synonyms

• accident
• casualty
• mischance

Choose the Right Synonym for mishap

misfortune, mischance, adversity, mishap mean adverse fortune or an instance of this.

misfortune may apply to either the incident or conjunction of events that is the cause of an unhappy change of fortune or to the ensuing state of distress.

never lost hope even in the depths of misfortune

mischance applies especially to a situation involving no more than slight inconvenience or minor annoyance.

took the wrong road by mischance

adversity applies to a state of grave or persistent misfortune.

had never experienced great adversity

mishap applies to an often trivial instance of bad luck.

the usual mishaps of a family vacation

Examples of mishap in a Sentence

We experienced the usual mishaps of a family vacation.

The ceremony proceeded without mishap.

The fire was a tragic mishap that could have been prevented.

Recent Examples on the Web

Woman Realizes Too Late Green Makeup Won't Come Off By Alice Gibbs Senior Life and Trends Reporter 0 An Irish actress and presenter has left people in stitches after a hilarious makeup mishap almost left her looking like a character from Shrek on live television. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024

The sheriff’s office issued a public apology for the mishap once news outlets began asking questions about the photo. —Cristóbal Reyes, Orlando Sentinel, 17 Dec. 2024

Final thoughts Out of all the memorable mishaps in Saturday Night Live's history, perhaps none are as infamous as Frank Zappa's gig as both host AND musical guest. —Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 15 Dec. 2024

One story claims it was born out of a kitchen mishap at the Duke of Milan’s court when a cook burned the Christmas dessert. —Jenn Rice, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

mishap

noun

mis·​hap ˈmis-ˌhap 

mis-ˈhap

1

archaic : bad luck

2

: an unfortunate accident

Etymology

Middle English mishap "bad luck," from mis- "bad, unfavorable" and hap "chance, chance occurrence" — related to happen, happy, perhaps